Page 67 - min.jus 19nov,2015

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UP FRONTThursday 19 November 2015

Cuba blames US for instigating
surge of migrants from island

President Barack Obama speaks at the CEO Summit, attended by 800 business leaders from JAVIER CORDOBA
around the region representing U.S. and Asia-Pacific companies, in Manila, Philippines, CHRISTINE ARMARIO
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, ahead of the start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Associated Press
HAVANA (AP) — Cuban officials blamed the United
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) States this week for instigating a surge in the num-
ber of Cuban migrants attempting to reach the U.S.
Trans-Pacific trade pact is praised, through Central America amid ongoing efforts to
panned as Obama urges approval normalize relations between the former Cold War
foes.
E. KURTENBACH quickly as possible.” ally joining the accord, In a statement aired on the government’s nightly
AP Business Writer The leaders issued a state- which aims to reduce bar- broadcast, Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Relations said
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — ment acknowledging inter- riers to trade and also set U.S. policy allowing nearly all Cuban migrants who
The Trans-Pacific Partner- est among other countries labor and environmental reach U.S. soil to stay contradicts ongoing efforts to
ship trade deal between in joining the pact, which standards. renew relations between the countries.
the U.S. and 11 other Pa- currently represents about “If the whole idea is to “This policy encourages illegal emigration from Cuba
cific nations is drawing po- 40 percent of global trade. broaden trade, making it to the United States and constitutes a violation of the
tential new members from “This interest affirms that exclusive actually defeats letter and spirit of the migration accords,” the state-
Asia and criticism from through TPP we are creat- the whole purpose of why ment read.
those excluded, as it heads ing a new and compelling you enter into all of these The statement marked Cuba’s first official response
for a tough ride in the U.S. model for trade in one of agreements,” Aquino said to the swell of migrants fleeing the island since Presi-
Congress. the world’s fastest grow- earlier in the week. dents Barack Obama and Raul Castro announced
Leaders of the trade ing and most dynamic re- Indonesia and South Korea plans to restore diplomatic ties nearly one year ago.
grouping that spans the gions,” the statement said. are among other coun- The situation intensified Sunday when Nicaraguan
Pacific Rim met alongside Philippine President Benig- tries that have expressed troops forcefully pushed Cuban migrants trying to
a regional economic sum- no Aquino III, host of the interest in joining the trade cross the border en route to the United States back
mit on Wednesday in the Asia-Pacific Economic Co- arrangement, which is en- into neighboring Costa Rica.
Philippines and President operation meeting in Ma- visioned as a foundation Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez said
Barack Obama urged nila, met with Obama and for an even bigger region- in a radio interview Tuesday that there are nearly
them to ratify the deal “as sought his help in eventu- wide trading bloc.q 2,000 people currently at the border being blocked
by Nicaraguan soldiers from entering the country. He
Honduras: proposed the creation of a “humanitarian corridor”
for Cubans transiting Central America.
5 Syrians detained with stolen passports “We have to do something with them, give them
a solution,” Gonzalez said. “They want to continue.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Five Syria, to Lebanon and Tur- able to enter the U.S. with Even though a government sends the army after a
Syrians have been de- key, then on to Brazil, Ar- the stolen passports. U.S. peaceful migrant population, they are going to find
tained on charges of fal- gentina, Costa Rica and Customs and Border Pro- a way to go.”
sifying documents after Honduras. tection officers scan the More than 45,000 Cubans arrived at U.S. checkpoints
trying to usestolen Greek There was no indica- passports of each traveler along the border between Texas and Mexico in the
passports to enter Hon- tion that the men were and have access to infor- fiscal year that ended in September. Many migrants
duras, a law enforcement suspected of anything mation about stolen pass- from the island fear that the reestablishment of dip-
spokesman for the Cen- except carrying stolen ports. lomatic ties between Washington and Havana may
tral American country said documents to the Central Europeans are generally bring an end to the “wet-foot, dry foot” policy per-
Wednesday. American nation. Baca allowed to freely travel mitting most Cuban migrants to stay.
Police spokesman Anibal said Wednesday that to the United States as Those who flee Cuba on raft and are caught by the
Baca said the men were the men indicated they residents of so-called visa U.S. Coast Guard at sea are usually returned.
detained on Tuesday at planned to travel to the waiver countries, but they U.S. officials have stated they do not have any inten-
the Tegucigalpa interna- United States. are still must seek permis- tion of changing current immigration policy toward
tional airport on an alert Honduras is a common sion to travel to the U.S. Cuba. The U.S. and Cuba have held regular meet-
from Interpol about the route for migrants try- through the Homeland ings on migration accords since the 1990s.
passports. He said the in- ing to reach the United Security Department’s Cuban officials have repeatedly asked that Wash-
ternational organization States, but it’s unlikely the Electronic System for Trav- ington rescind the “wet-foot, dry foot” policy, saying
followed the group from men would have been el Authorization, or ESTA.q it encourages Cubans to attempt perilous trips that
have claimed an untold number of lives.
Dagoberto Fernandez, a Cuban mechanic traveling
with his pregnant wife, said they began their journey
from Ecuador and had no problems until now.
“Everyone that we have encountered since leaving
Ecuador is behaving well. The problem began upon
arriving at the border with Nicaragua,” Fernandez
said.
“We don’t want to stay. We don’t want problems,”
he said. “We’re a group of human beings trying to
achieve their dream: arrive in the United States.”
Costa Rica announced Friday that it was issuing spe-
cial seven-day transit visas for Cuban migrants. The
proposed humanitarian corridor would seek to pro-
tect their rights as they travel north through Central
America.q